VW steps up efforts to lure German buyers back to showrooms
Volkswagen is starting a sales initiative to revive demand in its domestic German market as consumer uncertainty across Europe's largest economy risks choking off factory restarts.
The world's biggest carmaker will offer improved leasing and financing terms and payment-protection insurance in case buyers lose their jobs, VW's passenger-car division said Monday in a statement. The program for new and used cars starts on Friday and runs through July 31.
"We want to provide a first strong stimulus so that customers come to dealerships again," VW brand sales chief Juergen Stackmann said. "According to market research institute GfK, consumer sentiment has reached a historic low in April. We need instant measures that have a positive effect on the consumer climate."
The German automaker and peers includung Daimler and Renault revved up vehicle output even as many customers avoid showrooms in Europe following the coronavirus outbreak. Dealerships reopened in some countries after lockdown measures gradually eased, but buyers are shying away from big-ticket purchases amid the economic fallout from the crisis and rising unemployment.
The German auto industry has called for a state-backed incentive program to reignite car purchases and provide much-needed stimulus for the broader economy to avert a prolonged recession. The demand has sparked controversy among the country's political ranks as VW, Daimler and BMW have raked in billions of euros in profits in recent years and have stuck to dividend plans.
The European auto industry has been hit hard by the covid-19 outbreak with factories shuttered for 29 working days on average, according to Brussels-based lobby group ACEA. The plant closures have resulted in lost production of more than 2.3 million vehicles so far. VW, Daimler and BMW are bracing to suffer losses in the second quarter as sales were effectively wiped out in April.
VW's European deliveries excluding Germany slumped about 83% last month, worse than a 67% fall its home market. Demand in the manufacturer's largest sales region of China almost returned to pre-crisis levels with a 2.5% decrease in April after a steep slump in the first quarter. VW's U.S. sales fell by 35% last month in the same period.
The lack of demand in Europe isn't just hurting car dealerships, according to Stackmann. "That's why we need a broad stimulus program for the entire economy that restores trust among people," he said.